Klein lambasts West for 'Gestapo' references

Jewish Democratic Congressman Ron Klein is criticizing Republican challenger Allen West for his references to the Gestapo.

At an event Thursday, West said "I know here today we have a representative from the Florida Democratic party and he is here to film me and his whole purpose of filming me is to take what I say and allow other people to distort it so they can misrepresent me. You know if we allow those Gestapo-type intimidation tactics to prevail in the United States of America what happens to our liberties, what happens to our freedoms?"

It's standard procedure on the campaign trail for the opposing side to video or photograph the opponent to be used for fodder for attack ads later. But calling out these "trackers" as West calls them has been a frequent part of some of his events. The person taping the event works for the Florida Democratic Party, according to Klein campaign spokeswoman Sarah Rothschild, and is the grandson of Holocaust survivors.

In a radio interview Wednesday, West made a reference to "Gestapo like intimidation tactics that we see coming from Nancy Pelosi and also from the president as well," Klein's campaign said.

Klein said in a press release that West "has shown reckless disregard and appalling disrepsect to Holocaust victims and survivors."

"We are not apologizing for that,'' responded West's campaign manager Josh Grodin, who said the videotaped event was at an event attended by clergy including rabbis. "What the Florida Democratic Party is doing is they are just using intimidation tactics. They are following West around everywhere."

"Our Jewish supporters know where Allen West stands on Israel and they know exactly what he means by this," said Grodin, who is Jewish. Grodin grandfather liberated a concentration camp.

Expect both sides to go after the Jewish vote in the Broward-Palm Beach district -- both have already reached out to Jewish leaders and voters. Klein's campaign estimates that about 10 percent of the district's population is Jewish. The Jewish Data Bank's most recent number from 2006 put it at 75,000 -- or about 16 percent.

Comments

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No one is forcing Allen West to Say the ridiculous, hateful, fearmongering, rhetoric that he utters.
Allen West is the one who spews intolerance, Xenophobia, Fear, and Hate much like those of the Nazi Leaders.
Can a black man be racist?
This one is.
He uses hate speech to garner political contributions from right wing nuts out of state(a third of his Campaign funds), yet doesn't want the constituents of Disctrict 22(which he is not a resident of) to know what he is saying.
TOO BAD.
WEST IS A BAD DUDE

He suggested the tea party fight against a Chicago politician like Obama in the Chicago style that's described in The Untouchables: "They send one of yours to the hospital. You send one of theirs to the morgue."

West told activists they need to “make the fellow scared to come out of his house. That’s the only way that you’re going to win. That’s the only way you’re going to get these people’s attention. You’ve got to put pressure on them and make them understand that you’ve got to come back and live the laws that you establish. Don’t let them be a ruling class elite. You’ve got to let them know that the clock’s ticking.”

Ironic that a Republican is whining about the possibility that he will be subjected to the same kind of treatment as Shirley Sharrod.

Not to worry Mr. West, unlike right wingers, we liberals do not have to lie, deceptively edit video or distort the beliefs of other people in order to advocate for what we believe. We are not like the professional liar aka Andrew Breitbart. I am quite confident that the full unedited content of your remarks is exactly what Mr. Klein is seeking.

Hmmmm, this reads like a perfectly normal Democrat/MSM hit piece on a Republican. Lets see.....racism CHECK, crazed xenophobe CHECK, fear CHECK, demands for apologies CHECK, the only thing missing is an accusation of LtCol West being a stooge for BIG BUSINESS! Amy you can pick up your Soros check anytime now. Did Ezra Klien, not relation to Ronnie (Klien not Reagan) give you an invite to the all new Journolist?

I have been following Col. West's campaign off and on, via his campaign site, news articles and youtube videos of his speeches. I have never yet seen him resort to "hate speech" of any kind. On the contrary, his mission seems to be to inspire Americans to stop being victims and start being victors once again. His ideals seem closely aligned with our founding fathers.

I'm an independent voter who is generally at odds with both the left wing and the right wing. I don't agree with West on every issue, but the man has earned my respect and admiration for his courage, honesty, and straight talk. Rare things for a politician these days. (Is that perhaps why you're calling him "crazy"?)

Allen West is no surprise, he is using the same old tactic Republicans have used for decades. They accuse Democrats of lowering themselves to the level of The Republican party politics, and use lies and deception to attack their Democratic opponents hoping people will actually believe what they are saying is true.
I have worked on Election Campaigns all across this Great Nation of ours, and on both sides of the isle and it is always the same, destroy the Democratic opponent with character destruction, ruin a man reputation or whatever it takes to win no matter how much damage you do to destroy an innocent man's reputation and character. SAME OLD STORY.